ESG Policy

About the ESG Policy (Policy)

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues do not exist in a silo. ESG is about bringing them together under one banner to demonstrate the positive impact our business is having on the world. ESG is much like corporate social responsibility but on a larger, more measurable scale. Companies at the forefront of talking about their ESG scores are generating more attention from across the business spectrum, and investors are actively looking for high ESG-scoring companies.
This policy will inform our ESG efforts moving forward. This includes, but is not limited to, reporting, disclosures (both material and non-material), business practices, policies, procedures, investments, board activities, stakeholder engagement and investor relations.
Nothing in this policy shall be taken or understood to limit or reduce our current commitments, both legally and ethically.

Purpose of this policy

This policy provides information about ESG and encourages businesses to better understand it.
This policy does not form part of any contract of employment or other agreement to provide services, and we may amend it at any time.

Who is responsible for this policy?

The board has overall responsibility for the effective operation of this policy. They have delegated responsibility for overseeing its implementation to Suggestions for change should be reported at hello@rubixstudios.com.au.
Line managers are responsible for this policy, and you should refer any questions to them in the first instance.
This policy is reviewed annually, and every two years, changes may be made at any time as government guidance develops.

Our ESG commitment

We strive to build sustainable, equitable, healthy, and diverse communities through innovative business practices and exemplary ESG performance. This commitment informs every aspect of our business, including how we design and build new projects, operate our company, collaborate with stakeholders and report progress.
This ESG Policy sets out our approach to sustainability. At the heart of the Policy is a corporate culture that places sustainability at the core of all our business operations and values.

Our statement on climate change and the environment

We are committed to driving down our energy and carbon impacts, as we believe that climate change is one of the greatest risks to our world. Our sustainability program is committed to environmentally sustainable initiatives delivering near-term efficiency, value, and health for our business, people and the wider community.
We encourage our customers to reduce their environmental impact by recommending the use of more sustainable materials. We actively promote a paper-free office, regularly support our clients in avoiding printing, and will make all endeavours to be a digital-first business.
We seek to comply with current environmental legislation and work to minimise the impact of our activities on the environment.
We engage with our stakeholders and encourage enhanced disclosure on climate change, biodiversity, and the Sustainable Development Goals, including efforts to advance the underlying goals, such as those of the Paris Agreement.

Our statement on social responsibility

Our focus is on deepening relationships with our key stakeholders by investing in our employees and partnering with our customers, communities, suppliers and investors.
We are committed to engaging with our employees to provide a challenging, dynamic, inclusive and diverse work environment that supports their professional development, as well as promoting a good work-life balance that prioritises their overall health and wellness.
We will support initiatives that benefit the environment, human welfare and education. This includes skills training that advances workforce talent pipelines for our customers and economic development in the communities in which we operate.
We will engage suppliers, customers and employees around safety, health and wellness.
We will preserve and promote the protection of human rights and welfare within our business activities and those of our supply chain in accordance with our Modern Slavery Policy and Anti-Discrimination Policy.

Our statement on ethical governance

Our focus is on promoting strong oversight, transparency, and risk management at all levels of our organisation, ensuring the resilience and long-term preservation of value for our business.
We will maintain strong corporate governance practises through exemplary board stewardship, management accountability, and proactive risk management.
We will mitigate risk exposure through smart design and sighting and build our business’s resilience to climate change, earthquakes and other catastrophic events.
We are committed to high ethical standards through a strong Code of Conduct, ongoing ethics training, and executive leadership that promotes a culture of integrity.
We cultivate strong stakeholder relationships through transparency, open communications, and responding to stakeholder input.
We establish clear and effective governance for ESG, set goals and establish accountability. This is set through Management and reported to the board.

Our business and ESG

ESG is about assessing our net positive impact on the world and taking concerted, defined, measurable action to improve it. Our value rests in our employees, our communities, and the wider world. Therefore, ESG forms a fundamental part of our business lives and values in the real world.
The ethical and practical values that makeup ESG have always been at the heart of what we, as a company, stand for. With ESG’s growth and the increased awareness of these factors among our key stakeholders, we have a better opportunity to tell the story of how our business makes a positive impact on the world.
The drive to assess a broader range of factors in a holistic manner, from environmental and climate change considerations to social issues and how we invest in our people to the structure of our business and always reaching for better governance, means we can tell our story better. We welcome opportunities to highlight the positive impact we have on the world.

Our duty to the wider world

As a business, we also have a duty to our people, customers, and the wider world. ESG gives us an opportunity to make those impacts on our lives. We value investing in our people as much as we value protecting our environment and being good corporate citizens.
Our key objectives are fostering openness, sustainability, and respect. We value everyone and strive to work as one team. Our view on ESG is that it is a continuous process of aligning our operations and controls with our company values.
Our commitment to improving our social and environmental performance demonstrates a strong, well-informed management attitude and a values-led culture that is alert and responsive to the challenges and opportunities of doing business responsibly and sustainably.

ESG and our reputation

EGS is fundamental to our business reputation. Reputation is built through frequent and repeated interactions with stakeholders. When those interactions are positive, our business and our reputation can thrive. In an uncertain economic climate, a positive reputation is one of the key drivers of long-term success.
We want all our stakeholders, from customers to investors to our people, to be proud to be a part of our business. Part of that pride is understanding how our business contributes positively to the world.
Environmental: Environmental sustainability is an ethical and commercial imperative. Managing our carbon footprint goes hand in hand with the strategic necessity to operate efficiently. Our commitment to tackling climate change at a corporate level is fundamental to our strategic objectives.
Social: Our people make up our business. Intellectual capital is at the core of our clients, our business model and long-term sustainability. We aim to foster an environment that values and nurtures unique talents and contributions from every individual within a culture of inclusivity. While we have progress, we are committed to cultivating and empowering change by building an inclusive workplace where all talents can thrive.
Governance: Good governance is foundational to our business and all aspects of ESG. We cannot thrive without paying attention to our compliance obligations. Our company seeks to go beyond the concept of ‘box-ticking’ and embed compliance into the heart of our business.

Our responsibility to our customers

We have an obligation to our customers to offer them the best service. Customers are at the heart of our business; without these partnerships, our company wouldn’t exist. Part of that commitment to customers is about responding to their needs, hearing their concerns and committing ourselves to customer satisfaction.
The best customers see us as partners in their own enterprise. In turn, those customers reward us with their continued business, building and maintaining our world-class reputation.
ESG priorities are drawn not only from investor concerns but also from customer needs. Customers are asking how we are improving the world around us. How are we protecting our shared natural heritage, investing in our communities and being good corporate citizens? It is imperative for us as a business that all of our interactions with customers reflect who they expect us to be. And that is a partner in their own enterprise. A company they are proud to work with and recommend.
That is why you need to understand ESG, its impact and what it means for our company. We want you to feel proud of being part of our business and positively impacting the world so that our customers will feel the same.

Your role to play in ESG

As a member of our business, you are responsible for ensuring our organisation thrives. Regarding ESG, this means understanding your role in each area of ESG.
You can start to do this by familiarising yourself with the concept of ESG through this course and learning about our strategic objectives around ESG. You should know:
- Our strategic ESG goals;
- How we plan to achieve them and over what time;
- Your individual and team contribution to those goals;
- How do we discuss our ESG goals with customers and third parties;
- Where to report potential concerns or actions that go against our policy.
On an individual level, you have an important role to play in meeting our ESG objectives. Here’s how:
- Environmental: We all have a role in reducing carbon emissions and getting to net zero. While as a business, we are setting organisation-level targets, consider the choices you make and the environmental impact. For instance:
  - When travelling, are there more environmentally friendly options to take?
  - Can some meetings be held remotely instead of travelling?
  - Think before you print.
  - Does the office have recycling and energy-saving measures?
- Social: Building a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone feels valued is everyone’s responsibility. Understanding your role in bringing people together is critical to our success as a business. From hiring the best talent to encouraging all staff to thrive, we want a workplace where people proactively work to be the best. You can help by:
  - Challenging and reporting discriminatory or offensive behaviour.
  - Understanding diversity and inclusion policies.
  - Being an active ally for groups often underrepresented.
  - Leading by example in your work.
- Governance: Good governance goes beyond having the right policies and procedures. It’s about embedding compliance in your day-to-day work. From completing training on time to actively understanding how regulations affect your work, good governance starts with the individual acting ethically. Take governance to heart by:
  - Be a compliance champion in your team.
  - Refer to policies and procedures instead of shortcuts.
  - Be aware of red flags for compliance failures and risks in your area of work.
  - Don’t be afraid to call out poor behaviour or report failures.

ESG and our value chain

Our business does not operate in isolation; almost no company Value is created through collaboration and partnerships. Similarly, risks can come from not anticipating problems, gatekeeping, and hiding critical information. Traditional risks in supply chains were generally about quality, cost-effectiveness and reliability. But seen through an ESG lens, the holistic nature of the third parties, from how they source raw materials to how they treat workers and comply with accepted standards, is just as vital. A workforce health and safety incident, labour dispute or allegation of corruption can have serious impacts on stakeholders up and down the value chain. The value chain matters, and it is connected. Customers are increasingly voting with their feet and putting pressure on companies to act with ethical decisions in mind.
Ethical procurement gets to the heart of the value chain. When we consider the entire value chain, from raw material suppliers to end-use customers, we can better understand the needs and impacts of our business’s decisions within those relationships. Ethical procurement within the context of ESG means paying attention to a supplier’s carbon impacts and the labour practices of an end-user.
Considering these impacts doesn’t always mean refusing to work with someone in the value chain where there are concerns. Sometimes, suppliers are limited, and customers have every right to access our services. It’s about understanding the risks within each relationship and taking concerted action to reduce those risks.
For example, if there are concerns about a supplier’s labour practices, we can ensure clauses are inserted into contracts to maintain an adequate standard of employment for those working for the supplier. This can help actively change labour practices instead of simply refusing to work with a supplier. Or, when working with a logistics provider, we might ask for emissions reporting so we can then offset the carbon used.

How to procure ethically

Risk assessments: Undertake a risk assessment of the value chain to identify key vulnerabilities based on supplier and customer needs.
Real-time tracking: Real-time tracking and traceability over suppliers and movements of goods and services.
Screening, risk-ranking & monitoring: ESG due diligence on suppliers to evaluate and rank them based on their ESG profile and track record, and monitoring for ESG
Investigations: Investigate ESG incidents that occur in the value chain, prepare remediation plans, and manage financial and reputational damage.
Incident response management: Build robust internal governance frameworks to respond to ESG issues in the value chain.

Monitoring and enforcement

We seek to proactively prevent and mitigate instances of non-compliance with this ESG policy.
Any breaches or concerns, including ethical concerns or potential breaches in our commitment to high ethical standards, should be reported as soon as possible through our whistleblowing channels.
Progress on this policy is reported to the Board on a regular basis. Active participation and engagement at all levels of the business are of great importance to ensure ownership of ESG by all staff. At a minimum, we endeavour to maintain compliance with legislative requirements.

This policy is effective from 5th May 2024.